Nursing Home Escapees Did Not Actually Attend Wacken Festival

The 29th annual Wacken Open Air Festival was held in Germany last weekend and it was reported that two nursing home escapees were in attendance where 190 bands, including high profile acts like Judas Priest, Helloween, In Flames, Nightwish and Behemoth, all performed. Now, the Associated Press has reported that the two men were actually not in attendance, but partying in the town of Wacken instead.

Yesterday (Aug. 7), Itzehoe police spokesman Peter Berndt confirmed this information, stating the two, aged 58 and 59, were seen in the town on Friday (Aug. 3). Festival attendees spotted the two "helpless, disoriented and intoxicated" men, who were waiting for a bus Saturday morning (Aug. 4) despite the buses no longer running after 3 AM. The two were returned to the nursing home via a taxi which was arranged by the home after the police had brought them to a first-aid station. The home was about 20 miles away from where the two had escaped to.

According to Deutsche Welle (the outlet who broke the story), the original statement from police described the situation by referring to the individuals as "elderly," that they'd come from a "retirement home" and "obviously liked the metal festival." They added that they had contacted the police for further information on Aug. 5, but were told there were no further details.

Immediately after the conclusion of the 2018 installment of the Wacken festival, the first wave of bands for the fest's 30th anniversary had been revealed. Airbourne, Avatar, Dark Funeral, Demons & Wizards, Krokus, Meshuggah, Parkway Drive, Powerworlf, Rose Tattoo, Sabaton and Within Temptation are set to perform in 2019 with plenty of announcements still to come.